Water-tower



` (No Model.)

E. F. S-TBCK.

WATER TOWER. Nq 527,460.` Patented Oct. 16,1894.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet A2.

Bgl-"QSTBGK WATER TDWBB.

No. 527,460. Patented om. 16, 1894.

r3 sheets-sheet a@ E. I'. STBCK. WATER TOWER.

(No Model.)

Patentedoct. 16, 1894.

lllllllll m IIIIHIIIIHIIII UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST F. STECK, oriA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-TowER.

SPECIFICATION `formingwat of Letters Patent No. 527,460, datati october 16,1894.

Application led November 22, 1893.` Serial No. 491,620. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNST F. STECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented certain new andiuseful lmprovements in Water-Towers, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in portable water towers of the class ordinarily `resisted whatever be the direction of such discharge.

A further object of my invention is to so dispose and arrange the tower frame and itsV stand pipe with reference tothe turn-table hereinafter described, that the center of gravity of such frame and pipe will fall more nearly over the center of the turn-table than heretofore, when the said tower-frame and` pipe are inclinedywhereby the liability to capsize will be reduced to a minimum.

A still further object of my invention is to get the point ofconnection between thebase of the `tower and the carriage or truck nearer to the ground than heretofore, so that when thetower-frameand stand pipe are in their lowered positions ythe whole base of the frame will be below the frameof the truck and will rest between and be securely held against i side fiection bythe side members ofthe truck frame, and whereby also theapparatus may be shifted from place to place at the scene of action without danger of capsizing whilethe tower-frame and stand-pipe are erect.

My invention consists in certain features of novelty by which the said obJ ects and certain I other objects hereinafter described` are attained, as fully explained with reference to` the accompanying drawings, and more par-z tieularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure l is a side ele-` vation of my improved tower and its truck or carriage, the upper part of the tower being broken away, and Fig. lL is a sideview of suchlupper portion. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof a portionof the lower end of the tower and the truck on a larger scale, showing the 55 tower erect. i Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3--3, Fig. 4, of the box at the upper end of the tower-frame showing a part of the stand-pipe therein.` Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same taken on the 6o line 4-4,\Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view of the turntable (hereinafter described) and `carriage frame taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 5,drawn 65 to a larger scale, and Fig. `'7 isa transverse sectional view of the truck frame` taken on the line 7--7 Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

. In carrying out myinventionI provide the 7o side members 1 of the truck or `carriage frame `with a countensinkor drop 2 which is formed between the front and rear wheels of the truck preferably forward of the center or midlength of the frame and as near to the front 7` 5 wheels as possible without gettingover the laxle or other` part of the running gear, so ,that the space below the counter-sink will be entirely unobstructed, to permit of the free movement of the hose, and at the same time 8o p `the tower frame whose base is situated in this counter-sink as hereinafter described, will over-lie a` maximum portion of the length` yof thetruck when in its loweredpositionl Mountedupon the truckframe in thiscoun- 8 5 ter-sunk portion 2 is aturn-table 3 which preferably consists of a cog ring 4 secured to a similar ringl whose `inner edge is `beveled and engages underabeeledring 6 secured ,to the portions 2of the truck frame by suit- 9o `able brackets or angle irons 7 as shown in Fig. 6. `This cog ring is engaged by pinions 8 journaled in boxes 9 securedto one of` the crossmembers l0 on each sideof the truck. .The lower end of the shaft of each of the pin- 9 5 ions 8 isprovided with a beveled gear 11 which engages with a similar gear l2 mounted on the inner end of a turning stem 13 journaled in the side portion 2 of the truck frame and being adapted for the application of any ioo portions of theframe 1, or more accurately Y speaking, between the running boards or seats 16 which extend alongthe inner edges of the truck frame with a space between themwf'orV the reception of the tower-frame, the cross member 17 of the truck frame, upon which the forward ends of the boards 16 are supported, being curved downwardly between the boards 16 so as not to obstruct the descent of the tower frame. By this arrangement and construction I am enabled to get the turn-table and base of the tower very near to the ground and at the same time have the tower frame 14 nearer the horizontal when in its lowered position, than heretofore; and I attain a further advantage in that the tower frame while resting between the boards 16 during the run, is securely braced and held against side lection, and the hinge or pivot of the tower frame and its other connections thus spared the severe strain which they might otherwise receive from this cause.

Arranged within the tower frame Y14 is the 'extensible stand-pipe 18 to whose lower end may be secured the hose 19 whichis ordinarily carried in a basket 20 under the truck and is adapted to be drawn up through the tower frame by the stand-pipe as the latter rises therefrom. Near the upper end of the frame 14 is journaled a sheave 2l and at its lower end a drum 22; and 23 is a cable which passes over the sheave and takes one or more turns around the drum and has both ends secured to the stand-pipe by means of a suitable lug 24 arranged at or near the base thereof. The inner sides of the peripheries of the said drum and sheave are so disposed with reference to the lug 24 thatthey will be substantially in a straight line with the-point of attachment between the cable and lug, whereby the pull will be substantially parallel with the stand-pipe, and the base of the latter thus held away from the sides of the frame when being extended or withdrawn. A further advantage in connecting both ends of the cable to thestand-pipe is that the latter may be withdrawn while atan angle, without depending upon the force of gravity for causing it to recede into the frame. The drum 22 may be provided with suitable gear connection with ratchet wheel 25 having a winding stem 26 for the application of a hand crank.

As ameans for erecting and lowering the tower proper, I employ a pair of screw rods 27 which engage vin boxes or nuts 28 swiveled' to the sides of the frame 14, while the lower ends of such rods are rotatably heldin boxes 'shaft 31 journaled in suitable bearings on vthe 'turn-table, the shaft 31 being provided with miter-gear connection 32 with each of the screw rods; and in order that such screw rods may beA simultaneously actuated and the angle of inclination of the tower variedwhen the table is turned so as to render the stems 30 inaccessible, Iprovide the shaft '31 at an intermediate point with miter-gear connection 33 with a supplemental winding stem 34 journaled in a box 35 on the turn-table about mid-way between theV stems 30.

The upper extremity of the stand-.pipe 18 is provided with a discharge nozzle 36 which may be lof the usual form having a flexible connection 37 with the said pipe and being provided with a controlling cord 38 extending to a point of convenience at the base of the tower frame. The lection of this nozzle however is restricted to an upright plane by means of the side plates 39 each having a slot 40 in which a pin on a part of the nozzle plays.

In this manner the nozzle is fixed with reference to the stand-pipe, save for the movement Ypermitted by the slots 40. YVThe Vstand-pipe itself is xed against rotation independently of the turn-table in any suitable way, but preferably by means of a spline or feather 4l formed along the pipe and working in grooves 42 formed in one roller 43-44 respectively of each of two series of rollers 45-46 journale'd in a box-like portion 47 of the tower-frame 14 on the upper end thereof. There are preferably four rollersin each of these series, having peripheries complementary in shape torand fitted snugly against the ,pipe 18, and the two series are arranged at such distance apart as to hold the pipe firmly, .and prevent it from jostling the sides of the 'tower-frame, the lower end of the pipe being supported by a bracket 48 when in its retracted and reclined position. It will thus be seen that the lateral discharging direction `of the nozzle is'controlledtor changed entirely by the bodily rotation of the turn-table, and `that such discharging direction 0f the nozzle never changes but is xed with relation to the turn-table, and is always vin a directionl away from the side of the table to that on which the tower-frame is hinged, and lengthwise of the lifting rods 27. Hence the strain resulting from rthe recoil of the discharge, which when multiplied by the great leverage adorded by the tall stand-pipe, is. very great, is invariably brought lengthwise of the lifting rods and transversely of the axis of the hinge; and serious strain to thesek parts IOC thereby avoided; and a further important adi vantage of this fixed relation between the nozwhich is often the case when directing the stream from the side of the apparatus while standing on sloping or irregular ground.

i o Furthermore such fixed relation between the nozzle and table, combined with the hinged tower causes the direction of inclination of the tower to simultaneouslychange with any change however sudden in the direction of the discharge, and thus avoid the necessity of shutting off the water from the stand-pipe or else running the risk of capsizing the apparatus while the nozzle and inclination of the tower are being adjusted to another position.

The tower-frame is hinged to the turn-table at its extreme outer edge as shown, in order that the center of gravity thereof may be brought more nearly over the center of the turn-table when the tower is inclined for the purpose of getting the nozzle in a more advantageous position or for other reasons; and

in order; that this eccentric relation of the tower-frame to the turn-table may exist without causing any interference from the hose, to the free rotation of the turn-table, the latter is open in its center beneath the standpipe as shown in Fig. 5, so that the hose may pass through, and the cross members 10 of the truck-frame are curved outwardlyas irldicated in Figs. 6 and 7 and as appears in" Fig. 5, so that the space below the turn-table in the path of the-hose will be unobstructed and such hose permitted, if necessary, to describe a complete circle when the turn-table is rotated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.-

l. The combination with a carriage and a turn -table mounted thereon and having means for turning it, of a tower frame hinged to said turn-table at its outer edge, rods for `bracingand lifting said frame, mounted on said turn-table and engaging with said frame, an extensible pipe mountedin said frame and having a nozzle fixedwith relation to and adapted to turn with said turn-table and being permanently confined to oscillate or bend in an upright plane extending transversely of the hinge at the base of the tower frame and lengthwise of said brace'and lifting rods;

` whereby the tower frame may be inclined in any direction to resist the recoil, and the strain resulting from the weight of the frame and such recoil will invariably be exerted lengthwise of said brac'eandlifting rods, substantially as set forth. 1

2. The combination with` a turn-table and a tower frame hinged thereon and` having means for raising it, of an extensible standpipe mounted in said frame and having a spline or feather, rollers mounted in said frame for holding and guiding said pipe, one of said rollers being provided with a groove for receiving said spline, and a nozzle fixed on `said pipe against independent rotation, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a turn-table and a tower frame hinged thereon, of an extensible stand-pipe arranged in said frame and being provided with a spline or feather, two series of rollers mounted in said frame near theupper end thereof and having peripheries complementary in shape to and fitting against said pipe, a number of said rollers being provided with grooves for the recep tion of said spline, and the two series being arranged at such a distance apart as to hold the pipe rigidly within the tower frame and away from the sides thereof, and a nozzle fixed to said pipe against independent rotation, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the carriage and a turn-table having means for turning it, mounted on said carriage, of a tower frame hinged to said turn-table at its outer edge or perimeter at a point remote from the center thereof, a stand-pipe in said frame, adapted to be attached to a hose and being fixed against independent rotation, a iiexible nozzle on said stand-pipe flxedagainst independent rotation, means for erecting said tower frame, mounted upon the opposite side of said turn-table, said turn-table being open under the base of said stand-pipe, and the space beneath the turn-table being unobstructed, whereby the hose dependingfrom said stand-pipe may describe a complete circle when the turn-table is rotated, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the carriage frame having the cross-members lO turned outwardly or away from each other, an annular turn-table mounted upon said frame and crossmembers, and being open or unobstructed underneath, a tower frame hinged to said turn-table at its outer edge, a standpipe in said frame, adaptedV to be attached to a hose, means for raising said tower-frame, mounted upon the opposite side of said turntable, said cross-members being turned outwardly or away from one another under the line of movement ofthe base lof said stand` pipe, and the base of the stand-pipe being arranged directly over the opening under the turn-table, whereby the hose may pass up through the turn-table and revolve with the stand-pipe Without obstruction inits movement, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the truck, of a IOO turn-table mounted thereon and having a, intermediate of said first winding` stems and cog ring, a tower hinged to said turn-table, fbeing geared to said shaft and adapted to 1o a shaft journaled on said turn-table and havturn said screw rods simultaneously, substaning Winding stems projecting from both sides 1tiatlly asset forth.

thereof, screw rods pivoted on said turn-table and being geared to said shaft and having connection with said tower, a, supplemental winding stem journaled on said turn-tablet,

ERNST F. STECK.

' Witnesses:

F. A. HOPKINS, EDNA` B. JOHNSON. 

